Bengaluru, Apr 24 (IANS): Karnataka will set up a 200-bed modular Intensive Care Units (ICU) with ventilator facility in key districts -- Mysuru, Shivamogga, Hubballi, Belagavi and Bidar in the next fortnight, health minister K. Sudhakar said here on Saturday.

Sudhakar told reporters that the state was facing a shortage of at least 2000 ICU beds. "As we have already mentioned in Bengaluru we will be setting up modular ICU beds in our tertiary hospitals, similarly we will be establishing in key districts as well. In Bengaluru we are planning about 1000 modular ICU beds whereas in five districts -- Mysuru, Shivamogga, Hubballi, Belagavi and Bidar we will have 200 beds each. In the districts too, we plan to build these ICUs in tertiary hospital premises," he explained.

He added that hospital beds are required only for those patients with severe symptoms and not for those who are having mild symptoms or are asymptomatic.

The minister claimed that in the next fortnight these modular ICUs will be functional with a total capacity of ICU 2000 beds with ventilators. "We are in the process of importing ventilators, already talks have begun with some of the suppliers," he said.